Comments on: Defining the Bush Administration Environmental Record http://scienceprogress.org/2008/09/defining-the-bush-administration-environmental-record/ Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:59:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Michael A. Shea http://scienceprogress.org/2008/09/defining-the-bush-administration-environmental-record/comment-page-1/#comment-2979 Michael A. Shea Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:42:05 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/2008/09/defining-the-bush-administration-environmental-record/#comment-2979 It can be hard to decide which has been a more important factor behind Bush's dismal record on the environment - always heeding the corporate lobby position or a fundamental lack of interest in analysis or science or experimentation. But the lack of interest in science - which starts from an unusual lack of curiousity about anything - will probably end up defining Bush more in historical accounts. It is that same lack of intellectual curiousity that characterizes the tactics in Iraq or the approach to solving social problems. We don't need a scientist as president. But we need someone who sets the tone throughout the government - here is the clear goal, keep working on it until you get it right. But the Bush Administration has never been willing to give its agencies that measure of intellectual freedom to find solutions. It might too easily shift policy in ways that the right wing ideologues oppose. If you look at the policy areas where Bush would not get an F - such as support for dealing with AIDS in Africa - whatever credit Bush deserves is never based on innovation or new thinking. It can be hard to decide which has been a more important factor behind Bush’s dismal record on the environment – always heeding the corporate lobby position or a fundamental lack of interest in analysis or science or experimentation. But the lack of interest in science – which starts from an unusual lack of curiousity about anything – will probably end up defining Bush more in historical accounts. It is that same lack of intellectual curiousity that characterizes the tactics in Iraq or the approach to solving social problems.

We don’t need a scientist as president. But we need someone who sets the tone throughout the government – here is the clear goal, keep working on it until you get it right. But the Bush Administration has never been willing to give its agencies that measure of intellectual freedom to find solutions. It might too easily shift policy in ways that the right wing ideologues oppose.

If you look at the policy areas where Bush would not get an F – such as support for dealing with AIDS in Africa – whatever credit Bush deserves is never based on innovation or new thinking.

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